Lyra's Love
by Ary-Gryphyn
Summary: Lyra Black was not normal. Her brother was not normal. Her life was a giant revolving wheel around abnormal. On her seventeenth birthday, she's leaving. Where? That's the question nobody knows the answer too, save her parents, and her brother. But with a bond steadily growing with someone very dear to her, will she be able to leave now? Or will she have to stand and fight? Remus/OC
1. Prologue

Lyra has always tried to avoid her brother and his friends during the school year. She didn't find anything wrong about them, she just didn't want to scare away the only people Sirius loved like family. Other than herself, of course. It had always been easy for her to do, even though Sirius had told her that it didn't matter to him whether she spoke to them or not. She was still worried she would scare them off, and she would regret it so much if she did that to Sirius.

By the time her fifth year came around, and she was due to hit her sixteenth birthday that October, she suddenly found herself being more open around people. Lyra wasn't sure why that was happening. It would be pointless to start suddenly building 'lasting' friendships, when they weren't going to last past her next birthday. She didn't want to bother with that. She was already going to have to leave her studies, brothers, and her parents. That was going to be tough enough, no need to add to the stress.

And no matter how much Lyra's parents seemed to dislike her, She still deeply respected, and loved them very much.

Sirius and her were very close, people found that they were complete opposites. Where he seemed to be a troublemaker at times, Lyra was quiet and reserved. All they're lives they have looked out for each other. Soon, there would be no need for that. Lyra hoped Sirius would be accepted by their parents when she was gone, maybe he would be able to understand what they did, they did because they thought was in her best interest.

After all, nobody was going to remember her. She was Sirius Blacks twin sister, Lyra Black, the Gryffindor girl that not many people socialized with, the girl that had always seemed to prefer being alone.


	2. Train Rides

Walburga and Orion Black stood leering at all the surrounding people, seeming completely out of place in their formal black robes. Lyra's mother was an average sized woman, but she seemed to tower over all other people at times like this, her eyes piercing through everyone who dared look at her. Lyra's whole childhood she remembered not wanting to be caught being bad, because her mother would look down her nose at her, and she had hated finding the disapproval lurking in them. Walburga may not have been the most attractive of women, but she carried herself in a way that made people instinctively want to bow their head when near her, as if she demanded everyone around her to respect her, daring people to challenge her.

Too Lyra, her mother was intimidating. Whereas her father seemed to want to shrink into the corner. He hated public gatherings, so unlike his pureblood wife and family.

Currently, her parents were dropping off Lyra, Regulus, and Sirius off for Hogwarts. Regulus had separated from the family almost as soon as they had arrived, muttering a vague send off to his parents and then disappearing into the train. They hadn't acknowledged his farewell, and were just barely pretending to listen on as as Lyra voiced her own farewells.

"Lyra," Sirius muttered impatiently from beside his sister, and starts tugging her away from their parents and toward the Hogwarts Express, "C'mon."

"Sirius, am I not allowed to say bye?" Lyra muttered, nonetheless allowing her brother to pull her along.

Sirius shot her a disgruntled look and continued to pull her onward, ignoring his sisters vague protest. Lyra could tell that he was frustrated at her 'naivety' towards their clearly uninterested parents.

Sighing, she allowed Sirius to keep dragging her through the crowd, dodging wizard families, muggle parents, muttering half-hearted apologies whenever he'd accidentally run into a wizard, witch, or muggle parent. Sirius didn't mind pushing through people, he'd plow anyone down if they were in his way. And people got in his way a lot, he was definitely a Black at heart no matter how often he tried to say otherwise.

Lyra on the other hand? Not so much. Not at all, actually.

"Are you riding in the same cart as us? Or sitting by yourself again?" Sirius asked sarcastically.

She opened her mouth to give him the same answer she always had, alone. When a loud voice came from their left.

"If it isn't the great Sirius Black!" Someone yelled.

An arm winded around Lyra's shoulder and the smell of peppermint and parchment reached her nose, making it violently twitch. She hated peppermint.

"And don't think I forgot, the_ lovely_ Lyra Black," James Potter was smirking down at her, and she could feel her face light ablaze in a no-doubt scarlet blush.

Sirius bellowed out a laugh, "Now's not the time to flirt with my baby sister, James."

James smiled cheekily and threw Lyra a wink, "Now's always the time to flirt with your baby sister. Am I right, Remus?"

Lyra chuckled softly and leaned into her brothers shoulder to whisper to him, "Sirius you're older than me by a few minutes."

"But the fact remains that I am _still_ older than you."

James Potter was Lyra's distant cousin, but then again all purebloods were related to each other in some way. He was also Sirius' best mate, and a giant flirt. He liked to playfully flirt with Lyra whenever he got the chance, apparently it bugged Sirius. But in all honesty she pretty sure that Sirius wanted her and James to get married, probably only because that would mean they would be literal brothers. Even though he knew there was no possibility of that happening.

Remus Lupin's vaguely amused voice suddenly joined the conversation, "If you say so, James."

Remus was Lyra's favourite out of all her brothers friends. His voice had a permanent calm tone, and the way he carried himself was kind of like how she herself did. He didn't want anybody to take notice of him, she didn't want anybody to take notice of her either.

She had always wanted to talk to Remus, but had never really maintained a full conversation with him. There was something about him that always caught her eye, and he was very polite, with good humor.

Remus was staring at her with his calm, soft green eyes. She found herself comparing them to the forest.

"How was your summer, Lyra?" His light brown hair was swept lightly over his forehead, falling in his eyes a bit.

"It was okay," She replied politely, "How about yours?"

Remus smiled and turned his eyes forward, "Could have been better."

* * *

Sirius ended up making his sister him and the boys in their train cart, and Peter Pettigrew joined them as well. Lyra wasn't very fond of him, she had always found him too nervous. That was the only way she could describe it. He seemed like he meant well, but she had always thought he seemed too skittish.

"So little sister, what classes did you decide to take this year?"

"Study Of Ancient Ruins and-" she paused, "I think Care Of Magical Creatures?"

"I took Study of Ancient Runes too," Sirius answers, causing Lyra to turn and give him a befuddled look. Last year Sirius had taken that class, and tried everything he had to drop it, claiming it was too confusing. Everyone made a big deal of that class, Lyra herself found it wasn't all that bad.

"Why on earth would you take that?" It was the first thing James had said since we entered the train car.

Sirius grinned mischievously at James and his sister, "I also took Muggle Studies."

She stared at him, "You're asking for our parents to send you a Howler."

Sirius continued grinning while Remus and James laughed, Peter was sitting in the corner looking out the window quietly. "Come on now, they did that last year, no need to do so again."

She scoffed, returning to reading her book, muttering, "They love their Howlers."

It was silent in their compartment. Not awkward, just silent. As if nobody knew what to say at that point in time.

'_The werewolf is found worldwide. though it is believed to have originated in northern Europe. Humans turn into werewolves only when bitten,_' She read. '_There is no known cure, though recent developments in potion making have to a great extent alleviated the worst symptoms. Once a month_-'

"What are you reading there?"

She snapped the book shut with surprised eyes and raised them to meet the curious ones of Remus Lupin.

"Oh nothing. Just a Care Of Magical Creatures textbook. Not much fun..." She trailed off and fiddled with the pages of the book.

Remus laugh was filled with mirth, "Took that class last year, it was pretty good. I took it again this year. Kettleburn's a bit much though, I must say."

She smiled and chuckled a bit, thinking about the Care Of Magical Creatures professor, Silvanus Kettleburn. Due to the mans recklessness he only had one arm and one and half of a leg. Many incidents having something catching fire, or creatures on the loose.

"You can say that again."

Remus and Lyra chatted for a bit until she returned to her book, while Sirius and James started planning all of the shenanigans they could get up to when arriving at Hogwarts. Peter was eating all the candy he got off the trolley.

Every once in awhile she could feel Remus' eyes on her. But she didn't look up.

Sighing, she continued fiddling with the corner of the page she was on, this was going to be a terrible school year. She could feel it.

* * *

"We should change," Sirius suggested and everyone nodded in agreement.

Grabbing her robes she cleared her throat, making the four boys look at her. "Could you guys wait outside, please?"

"Oh. Oh, yeah of course, Lyra." James said and they cleared the compartment, moving into the hallway. She closed the curtains before letting a small breath escape her.

Lyra quickly stripped off her jumper and grimaced at her arm. The pale, jagged scar that twisted from her elbow up to her shoulder blade was thick and unappealing, healed years ago but never letting the skin return to its former pale, unmarred flesh from when she was young. She covered it up as much as she could manage but if anyone squinted, and looked closely at the skin, it was still noticeable.

Shrugging her robe over her body, she opened the compartment door, smiling thankfully at the boys for leaving they shuffled out of the narrow hallway and back into the compartment. The four were all changed and ready to go.

The rest of the ride to Hogwarts was filled with Sirius' and James' whispering. About what, Lyra wasn't sure. But every once in a while they'd glace at in her direction. A few times in Remus'.

Sometimes Lyra felt as if her brother had told them. But he wouldn't do that. He wouldn't do that too her, or the Black name, like that. The Blacks would all be driven into the dirt, never to be respected again. They'd surely disown Lyra, blame it all on her and burn her picture and name off the Blacks family tree, she would most likely never be heard from again.

As the train began to slow down, she could the usual racket from up and down the train as student scrambled to get their luggage and pets assembled, ready for departure.

Lyra raised from her seat and tucking her book under her arm, she made sure to grab her luggage before exiting the compartment. The sting of night air and smell of lake water was the first thing to answer her senses and she took a deep breath before exhaling with her eyes closed and a small smile rising to her lips.

_This, is my home._


	3. Potions

To Lyra, the first day back at Hogwarts was always exhausting. New first years, sorting hat, and everyone getting excited after not seeing their friends for a whole three months. It was exhausting having people screaming near her, all of the polite, "Hi Lyra how have you been, how was your summer?" When that person and she know they were just trying to be polite. She had one friend here at Hogwarts with her, and only got to see her briefly in the Great Hall, both of their responsible prefects calling their houses too, "Come follow me to the common room, so that we can get unpacked."

Aisling Caoilainn was gorgeous. She was tall, with white-golden hair. Her blue eyes could stop anyone in their tracks, and a glare from her could probably fry someone on their spot. She was a soft spoken Ravenclaw, quiet and shy. With pale skin and rosy cheeks. Her upturned nose made everyone believe she was snotty, and her pink cupid bow lips complete with thin eyebrows made her near irresistible. Almost all the boys wanted her, including some girls. But she was shy, and disliked attention being on her. If she didn't approach you, you didn't approach her. She could be terribly nasty when she put her mind too it. She has approximately four friends, Lyra being one of them.

She and Aisling weren't the closest of friends, they didn't even know each others favorite food. Mostly just met up in the library to have a chat every now and then. The two of them were both loners, and loners get along. They didn't need to be together all the time to be content with their friendship, it was what it was. they were there for each other when need be.

The bellow of a fifth year muggleborn named Aiden Calder drew Lyra out of her internal monologue and she sighed. The boys continued being obnoxiously loud behind her as she settled back into the Gryffindor common room sofa, the warm radiating from the fireplace temporarily relieving her of her headache.

Sirius had run up to the boys dorm after dinner in the great hall, he had wanted to keep her company but she had declined, and after five minutes of her begging him to _leave her be_, he finally relented, climbing the stairs with Remus, James, and Peter trailing after him. She pretended not to notice Remus' lingering glance when she had shifted on the couch to get more comfortable.

Lyra's body was aching tonight, her bones feeling like sandpaper rubbing up against each other, muscles wound up tight, still not yet healed from the previous inflicted wounds.

Grimacing, she reached for her journal which was resting at the other end of the sofa. Opening it to a new page she began to write-

_ Sept, 1/1973_

_The pain in my legs is getting worse, my arms are sort of numb now. The cuts on my thighs and stomach healed around yesterday, they took longer to heal this time. And it's getting a lot harder to control, a lot more wild as the years go by. I have a long, thick cut doing down my spine that's still in the middle of healing. It had a thin layer of new skin over it, _

_First day of fifth year and I already have a permanent migraine. Sirius is bugging me about not being social like always, and I think he has a crush on Aisling. Though he would never admit it, he spoke about her the whole summer._

_It's curious. All the other guys in the school stare at Aisling whenever she's near, but they never actually talk about her when she's not around. Sirius didn't see her the whole summer, yet he was talking about her the whole time. He never asked directly, though. He only hinted at her, kind of nudged the conversation in that direction until we were suddenly talking about what she was doing, if she was visiting her mother in France like everyone said. 'Heard from that one friend of yours?' He'd usually ask. He'd always try to make it seem like he was teasing me. Oh, but I know he wasn't._

_It feels like this year is going to be different, though I'm not sure why. Mother reminded me the whole summer what I have to do when my sixteenth birthday arrives. It's less then a year away. I've known since I was four what I have to do, and I should have excepted it by now, right? In all honesty I'm terrified. I wanna scream and rant to my mother how 'life isn't fair' and yell at her that this is all her fault in the first place, so why do I get the worst end of it? But I'm not like that. I don't blame my mother like Sirius does. She may be bitter, but I understand that whatever she does for Sirius, Regulus and I is for the best. She can't be punished for a little mistake she made. I've made a million. _

_I really wish I had someone to talk to this about, other than Sirius. I've come to realize writing your thoughts down does not help get them off your mind. Because now I have a documentation of every bad thought and thing I've ever done in this damn book. Maybe I could talk to Aisling. Actually- scratch that, I know for a fact that's never going to happen, And I'm perfectly okay with that to be honest. I don't like dropping my issues on someone else' shoulders._

Yawning, Lyra snapped her journal closed. Classes were tomorrow, and she had History Of Magic at 9:00 AM. Definitely one of the worst ways to start a Monday.

Rising, she grimaced at the shock of pain that ran through her joins, before turning and marching up the stairs to the girls dormitory.

* * *

The giggles of the other fifth year girls awoke Lyra in the morning.

When she had opened her eyes, Lacey Meridan was looking over at her distastefully while she sat up in her bed, "Breakfast's starting in ten minutes. Might wanna get up."

"Thanks."

Lacey has had a huge crush on Sirius since first year. Even though he continuously turns her down time after time, she never gives up.

Getting ready as quickly she could, Lyra made her way to the Great Hall with only her book bag to keep her company on the walk there. Sirius, Remus, and James were all sat at the Gryffindor table. James and Sirius lent close together, most likely plotting another prank. Remus was sat back and laughing every once and awhile at something James and Sirius said, putting his input once in-awhile.

Lyra hadn't realized she was staring until Remus and her eyes' met, his dancing with laughter. He smiled a bit at her and tipped his head in her direction. His eyes asked Lyra a silent question, inviting her to come over and sit with them. Giving her head a slight shake, she made her way towards the vacant end of the table.

* * *

_Add 2 Mistletoe Berries to your cauldron  
_

Adding the 2 Mistletoe Berries to her and Aisling's cauldron Lyra studied the potion color for a minute, making sure it was the proper color. to Lyra, it seemed a tad bit too dark.

"I really hate this class," an Irish accent cut into her debate.

"Well if you don't let me concentrate on this potion, we'll fail this class," Lyra muttered her reply, as she angled more towards Aisling.

"Don't forget to stir it," Aisling scolded, causing Lyra too scoff before turning back to the potion.

"Clockwise?"

"Anti."

Nodding she stirred the potion anti-clockwise, making it turn a teal-color. That seemed more right, now.

"Wave your wand and we're done," Lyra said, switching positions with Aisling.

Aisling waved her wand and grinned, making all the boys turn and stare at her. "Done!" She giggled.

She turned to me after turning the temperature down, "You really are bollocks at potions, you know that?"

Lyra huffed, slouching in her seat. "Well I just did that potion perfectly fine."

"It's an antidote for common poisons. I'd hope you can do that perfectly fine."

Rolling her eyes Lyra stared up at her, "Need I remind you you're absolutely rubbish at Transfiguration?" Noticing my voice had drawn other student attention, I lowered it, "You can't even turn a bird into a cup."

Aisling stuck her tongue out at Lyra, "No need to be childish, Lyra."

"Says the one sticking out her tongue at me in a very mature way."

Aisling scooted back in her chair, slouching slightly, with a gloomy look on her face. Still managing to look effortlessly graceful while doing it. "I hate this class. I want to be a potions master and all, but sometimes this class really messes with me skin. Do you think I could be allergic to some of the ingredients? I was gonna ask ma mere to buy me some professional gloves but she said it'll pass eventually-"

"Ms. Caoilainn, are you and Ms. Black done with your potion? Perfect again, I presume?" Horance Slughorn eagerly asked as he bounded over towards the two girls desk.

Aisling straightened in her chair at the sound of the professor's voice, and brightened considerably, almost making the classroom glow with her smile. "Yes, Professor Slughorn."

Reclining in her seat, Lyra watched as Aisling rattled off about the potion and how it works. Aisling was a teachers pet, but she didn't mean to be. She just liked to make people happy. And sometimes other people didn't really understand that.

Her and Aisling were alike in so many ways, she was surprised they didn't hate each other.

* * *

**Authors Note: Lyra is not self harming. There are no trigger warnings to be put in this story.**

**~Ary-Gryphyn**


	4. Library

During break time Lyra found herself sitting in the library, joined by Aisling.

"My birthday's next month, did you know that?" Aisling's voice cut through the silence of the library.

Lyra hadn't known that. "When?"

"October 13th," Aisling said, her eyes in her lap. "Mom says I might have to move in with her after my birthday."

She looked none too pleased at that fact, which Lyra didn't understand herself, seeing as how she was under the impression Aisling loved any time she could spend with her mom in France. But then again near the end of the last school year Aisling's mom had decided she was going to try and have a second child, which could be what was sending Aisling into this view of things.

"Oh."

Aisling looked up at Lyra and nodded, "I don't want to move to France with her, I don't even know how to speak French." That was a lie. Aisling could speak fluent French, German, and Gaelic. She had been taught all three languages when she was just learning to speak, so it was easy for her to comprehend from a young age.

Lyra bit her lip, looking at her book. It was a herbology textbook, and Lyra found she didn't care for it very much. "Why's she making you move there? Can't you just stay with your dad?"

"She mentioned something about family heritage. Don't really understand it myself," Aisling answered, shaking her head with a frown as her eyes scanned over the library around us. Most of the students were starting to migrate out of the library.

Nodding Lyra rested the textbook on the table. Now that she was getting a good look at Aisling's face, she was finally able to notice that she looked nervous. As if she might be keeping something to herself.

"Did she explain it?"

"No."

"Why don't you just ask her?"

"I did. She didn't answer."

Lyra finally decided she wasn't going to get anywhere with the textbook, and closed it before placing it on the table. Folded her hands in her lap, she sat back and instinctively started fiddling with her thumbs. "Oh. Maybe she has a good reason?" Aisling's eyes flickered to the ground, and she gnawed on her lip in silence for a moment. She looked bothered by something.

After a moment she released a breath, before gathering her stuff rising to her feet, "I have to go. Have some stuff to take care of." Lyra's eyes followed her retreating form as she walked past her to the library's exit, and Lyra's nose suddenly twitched as a sharp, bitter scent reached her senses. Her lips curling distastefully,she sneezed. That was weird. Hadn't happened before.

"Gesundheit."

Jumping, Lyra whirled around in her seat, eyes flashing. People rarely were able to catch her off guard so easily, so she was startled.

Remus was standing behind her, his hands raised in defense, "Whoa. Sorry about that..."

Jaw stiff, Lyra turned back around in her seat to face her book. "It's fine," she muttered. The rustle of clothing sounded beside her, alerting Lyra that Remus had sat down in Aisling's now vacant seat.

It was silent for a while, the two of them respecting the silence of the library. Lyra could hear Remus' steady breathing from her seat, it was somehow calming in a way. Every now and then she could feel his eyes roaming over her face, and she tried her hardest to ignore it. It was quite strange how often Lyra found Remus' eyes on her, more often than not when they were both at the Gryffindor table she'd notice him peering her way when he thought no one was looking. It was strange having a boy always have his eyes on her, it definitely unnerved Lyra.

Even Aisling had started to point it out, how sometimes it seems like he was looking straight through her, peering into her very soul. It was a bit unsettling, seeing as how they've only been back at school for a few days, and Remus hadn't stared so often last year. At least, she hadn't noticed he did.

Sighing Lyra tilted her head towards Remus, and seeing his head turn away at the last second a frown came upon her face. "All right?" she asked.

Remus glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, before turning back to the parchment he had laid out on the table. Nodding once, he folded his hands in his lap with a small smile. "James is planning on pulling this massive prank in the boys dormitory, and I got a warning to leave before it all went down so I decided to come here and ah, get a bit of work done."

Slowly nodding she picked up her quill and scribbled a reminder to remember to check out her book for DADA, "Well what are you working on, then?"

Remus laughed nervously and fixed his eyes to the parchment again, "Not sure if I'm supposed to tell anyone, really. Your brother might skin me." He said the last bit with a chuckle, and Lyra sensed there was a joke she was missing out on.

"Well that's alright, no need to share. I imagine my brother can be a bit uh, tedious, at times."

Laughing, Remus nodded. "That's for sure, there was this one time he and James were planning on pranking John Matthews, from Hufflepuff, and Peter accidentally tipped Hufflepuff off..." Lyra hadn't meant to tune him out, but she had noticed her younger brother, Regulus, glaring at her from across the library.

Lyra's younger brother and her definitely weren't as close as Sirius and herself, he hadn't truly spoken to her in about a month. Which Lyra understand under the given circumstances, she was the reason he was raised with a mother that never gave him attention. He has to strive for attention every time they see her, they all do. Sirius was the only one of her three children that seemed uncaring of her lack of attention, and Lyra could admit he was better off that way. Once Regulus saw her looking towards him, he briskly turned around and made his way out of the library, without looking back.

"Lyra?" Remus' voice startled her out of her internal thoughts, she had forgotten they had been talking a minute ago.

"Yes? Sorry, Remus. Something caught my attention, what was it you were saying?"

Blushing slightly, he scratched the back of his neck, "Never mind that, I'm sure Sirius has told you already anyway. I actually have something to ask of you?"

Lyra's steady grey eyes settled on Remus' face, a frown had appeared between his brows. It made him seem older, she noticed vaguely. "What is it?" she asked.

"You're mates with Aisling, yeah?"

Lyra's expression went shuttered immediately, and this was it. This was why Remus was constantly staring at her, he wanted a quick snog with Aisling. Exhaling through her nose, she sarcastically muttered her reply to him, "Not really no, I'm more of a lone wolf myself, actually."

Grabbing her books and parchment, rising from her seat Lyra ignored Remus' stuttered reply, and marched out of the library to her Transfiguration class. Three days in and she already wanted to leave. Later that night, Lyra was sat up in her dorm, huddled up in her blankets with her wand shining on her journal.

_Sept 3/ 1973_

_I saw Regulus today, and as usual he glared at me. All of my wounds are now finally healed, 20 more days to go. Something's up with Aisling, I can tell. I feel as if I should confront her about it but I know I can't. She smells off, and weirdly bitter. Sirius didn't talk to me today, maybe he's finally understanding I'm not interested in spending time with him and his friends. And something about Remus is bringing out a bit of hostility inside me, I feel as if he shouldn't want Aisling. I don't want Remus like that, which is what is mostly off about this situation. I don't want him. I can't have him, I know that I'm already spoken for, in a strange way. I just can't help but wish I wasn't. I'm thinking of writing too mother and father tomorrow, even though Sirius would call it a waste of time on my part._

_The itching feeling is finally faded from under my skin, but now I have the feeling something else is going to appear. Always does._


	5. Lunar Visibility

**Chapter 4 - Snape and Dumbledore**

* * *

The first week of the term passed by relatively quick, nothing of interest happening besides the fact that Professor Kettleburn had somehow managed to set his hair on fire during Care of Magical Creatures class. Again. But he was saved from another trip to the infirmary by Frank Longbottom, who had cast a freeze-flaming charm. (Upon hearing this, Sirius had laughed for a good five minutes, "Why do they even still have him teaching that class? I'd go bonkers." he had said.)

Sirius was still trying to convince Lyra to sit with him during meals, and James Potter had returned to trying to win the affections of the red-haired Gryffindor muggleborn witch by the name of Lily Evans. Lyra could definitely see the appeal, she was in Year Four- the same year as Remus- top of her classes, polite, and appeared to have a good sense of humor. Though James had seemed to be head-over-heels for her since her first year, she didn't seem enamored by his constant persistence. Which probably had to do with the fact that him and Sirius were right prats to her best friend, Severus Snape.

Severus was a Slytherin, in the same year as Lily and Remus, and had almost immediately become a target to James and Sirius pranks. He had been humiliated by the two of them on multiple occasions since his first year.

Their third year, Lyra had asked Sirius why he and James treated Severus so inhumanly. The only answer he could provide her with was that it was because he was ignorant, greasy, and trying to get with James' girl. She hadn't known, nor cared, who that was at the time, but now it's become apparent that he meant Lily.

By the time the second week of the semester rolled around, Lyra wasn't at all surprised to find Severus dangling upside down with his robes surrounding his face, students gathered around chanting 'Snivellus! Snivellus!' in the Middle Courtyard. It was Monday afternoon, Study of Ancient Ruins had just ended, and she was on her way too Defence Against the Dark Arts. Sirius had been absent last period, and now it had became clear why that was.

Sirius was stood off to the side leaning on a tree, laughing and cheering James on like all the other students. Peter was stood next to him, nervously glancing side to side, likely standing guard for any teachers.

James was laughing, his wand pointed at Severus. "Hey! Who wants to see me take off Snivellus' trousers?" He taunted, watching as Severus wiggled and yelled to be put down, his face turning redder by the second. Lyra honestly wasn't sure if it was from anger, or all the blood no doubt rushing into his head.

For a minute she stood there, silently watching as the students around her laughed and jeered at the boy being humiliated. No one interrupted James, or asked him to stop. Neither did Lyra.

What she did do though, was make her way over to Sirius. He was still leaning against the tree, and he was gleefully watching as James taunted Severus more with a smirk upon his lips, his grey eyes alight. Plucking the sleeve of his robe, she dragged him away from the scene, his laughter stopping as he narrowly missed tripping once his weight came off the tree. Ignoring his protests, Lyra continued roughly pulling him along until they had reached their next class. She might not have been able to stop James' torment on the Slytherin boy, but she could make sure her brother went to his next class instead of joining in on the torment.

"Lyra! Bloody hell- let me go!" Sirius hissed.

Finally releasing his robes, Lyra continued walking in the direction of Class 31, trying to refrain from outright snapping at Sirius. She could hear him a step behind her, and was glad he kept walking with her instead of going back to join James.

Lyra liked James, she really did, but what he was doing was wrong. She could understand that Snape wasn't the best in the world to deal with, sometimes he was outright disrespectful, but he most likely wouldn't feel the need to act that way towards them if they didn't treat him as badly as they did. But Lyra also knew there was no point bringing this up to the two of them, because they would continue no matter what she said. They had no reason to listen to her, after all.

Class ended in no time, Lyra not making an effort to speak to her brother and he doing the same. Sirius sat behind her quietly all of DADA, despite James not turning up to class. Not wanting to linger awkwardly, Lyra escaped the class as soon as the Professor had provided that night's homework. Professor Dumbledore had called on her to meet him in his office, due to the impending full moon. His office was in the Headmaster's Tower, accessed through the Gargoyle Corridor. The tower was guarded by a gargoyle, which hopped to the side obediently when told the password, allowing Lyra to swiftly make her way up the circular moving staircase. Dumbledore had given her the password to the tower her first year, and she had known all passwords since then. Which was usually always a variation of some sweet Muggle treat.

Lyra was vaguely surprised that Dumbledore had even waited so long to meet with her, he usually saw her the first day of classes to ensure everything was alright and still going to plan. He seemed to have waited an extra week this time around, which was quite unusual for him.

Knocking hesitantly on the wooden door to the Headmaster's office, she relaxed some when Dumbledore's cheerful voice invited her to enter. His eyes twinkled jovially behind his half moon glasses, as if he knew she had some worries about their meeting.

"Come on in, Ms Black," he invited warmly, "Sorry to have kept you waiting for so long, I know this is later than we usually see each other."

Dumbledore's office was the most interesting in all of Hogwarts to Lyra, by far. It was a large and beautiful circular room filled with funny little noises, and a number of curious silver instruments stood on spindle-legged tables, whirring and emitting little puffs of smoke. Dozens of portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses lined the walls, most of whom were snoozing gently in their frames. There was also an enormous, claw-footed desk, and, sitting on a shelf behind it, was a shabby, tainted wizard's hat - the Sorting Hat.

Taking a seat in the chair opposite Dumbledore's desk, Lyra's nerves suddenly flared up again.

"There's nothing to be worried about," He attempted to reassure her, "I was wondering if you were aware of this particular month's moon phase?"

Lyra hadn't known anything other than that it was happening Wednesday night, and her face seemed to give away her confusion.

"Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday night there will be a full moon," he informed her gently, "Though I do have reason to believe your Lycanthropy will only cause you trouble for Wednesday and Thursday night, due to lunar visibility. Perhaps a few days afterwards."

This had only happened twice before, once in first year, and once in fourth year. Both times Lyra was required to stay in the hospital wing for a week, five days more than her usual monthly stay, much to her own chagrin. Even thinking of having to go through that again made her want to crawl underground, as if the moon couldn't affect her when she couldn't see it. Sadly, that wasn't how it worked.

Hands trembling, Lyra folded them neatly in her lap, trying to rationally think over her options, and what to say. What could she even say to that?

"Professor," Lyra said finally, trying to keep her lip from quivering too noticeably, "I can't- I can't go through that again."

Dumbledore's eyes were sad now, no doubt feeling bad for having to deliver Lyra this news, "I'm sorry my dear, but this is something we simply cannot control."

The rest of their meeting passed by quickly, and soon enough Lyra was making her way to the Great Hall for dinner, and when Sirius tried waving her over to him and the rest of his friends at their side of the Gryffindor table, Lyra bypassed him completely.

* * *

**Hey guys! I've been on hiatus lately, kind of. Been very busy with school and work, and have only just started getting inspiration to write again. Will definitely be back with more! I have some great plans for where this is headed. **

**\- Ary-Gryphyn**


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